Hand-bag lock.



F. J. HOHENSTATT.

HAND BAG LOCK.

APPLECATION FILED. SEPT. H. 1915.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 now 1 l'oz flea ends J fie/1221521211 THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. c

FREDERICK J". HOHENSTATT, 015' PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HAND-BAG- LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed September 11, 1915. Serial No. 50,167.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. HOHEN- STATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Bag Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hand bag locks, the object of the invention being to provide a lock of the character described which is especially adapted for use 7 in connection with ladies hand bags, purses,

grips, and other similar devices having a handle from which the bag or receptacle is supported.

A further object is to provide a lock of the character described which is operated by devices supported in the handle and which locking means embodies in its construction various novel details which cooperate in the eifectual performance of the functions for which the lock is designed.

A further object is to provide a hand bag with a lock which cannot be fraudulently opened while the bag is supported on the arm of the owner, and also provide a lock which is concealed and which can be easily operated by one hand while supporting the bag so as to cause the bag to open, leaving the other hand free to remove articles from the hand bag. 1

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements o-fparts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in end elevation partly in section, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged tranverse section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

1 represents a bag having at its open mouth two metal frame members 6 and 7. These metal frames are of somewhat angular share and are connected at their ends by hinge pins 3. On these pins 3, springs 4 are m unted and have their respective ends projected through lugs 5 in the frame members 6 and 7, so that when permitted the springs operate to separate the frame members and open the bag. On the inner face of frame member 6 of both ends of the bag, spring locking bars 8 are pivotally supported between their ends on staples 9, the latter projected through eyes 10 struck from the metal forming the looking bars.

Springs 11 secured atone e'nd'to the ends of frame member 6 have their free ends pressing against the locking bars 8, tending always to move the locking bars in a direction to project beveled lugs 12 on said locking bars into openings or recesses 13 in members 7. The bars 8 are laterally off-set I or otherwise shaped so as to permit a sufficient pivotal movement to allow the lugs 12 to move out of locked engagement with member 7 to permit the bag to open, and when the bag is closed, the beveled lugs 12 operate as cams to first move the locking bars laterally, and then spring into locked engagement as will be readily understood. These locking bars 8 are on the inside of the bag, and the locking means is concealed.

To move the locking bars, I provide wires 14 which are secured to the locking bars and project through openings 15 in member 6 and extend through my improved hollow handle 16 which will now be described in detail. On the outside of member 6 at the ends of the hand bag, I secure rings 17 which operate as socket pieces and cover the flanged ends 18 of tubes 19, permitting the tubes to turn freely and thereby providing a swiveled connection between the handle and the bag.

20 represents a metal tube located intermediate the ends of the handle and connected by metal coils 21 with the tubes 19. These coils 21 are secured in any suitable Way to the metal tubes 20 and 19 preferably by soldering and they are prevented from longitudinal stretching by wires 22, which latter are secured at one end to the tube 20, and at their other ends to the tubes 19. The particular manner of securing the wire 22 is, of course, immaterial, but I have found a preferable means is to solder the ends thereof at the same time the coils 21 are soldered to the tubes.

The tube 20 is provided in its under face with a lo-ngitudinalslot 23, in which'relatively small pins 24 are movable. These pins 24 are secured to the wires 14. which as above described, are secured to the looking bars 8, and they are of just the pro-per the lower face of the handle so as to offer sufficient gripping surface.

When it is desired to open the bag, it is simply necessary to press the fingers 24 toward each other and this can be easily accomplished while supporting the handle and using the thumb and fore-finger to move' the pins. hen the pins are moved toward each other, the locking bars 18 are pivoted on the staples 9 so as to move the lugs 12 out of the openings or recesses 13 when the springs 4 will separate the frames 6 and 7,

' and thereby open the bag. This leaves the other hand of the operator free to manipulate the contents of the bag, and when the bag is closed, it will automatically look. It will therefore be noted that with my improvements the lock is concealed and the bag cannot be fraudulently opened while carried on the arm of the owner. Furthermore, the

bag is not disfigured by any lock on the outside, and an extremely neat and attractive structure is the result.

\Vhile I have described my invention in connection with a ladies hand bag, it is of course to be understood that I do not limit myself to this particular use as the locking means may be employed in connection with any receptacle having a handle, and I therefore intend to cover the invention broadly for portable receptacles of any sort.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention,vand hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A receptacle having hinged frame members at the open mouth thereof, locks inside the receptacle at the ends thereof, a handle connected to the receptacle, and a pair of pins projecting from the handle and mov-- :able toward each other for simultaneously operating both locks, substantially as described.

2. A' receptacle having hinged frame membersat the open mouth thereof, locks inside the receptacle at the ends thereof, ahandle connected to the receptacle, a pair of pins projecting from the handle and movable toward each other for simultaneously operating both locks, and springs tending to move the hinged frame members to open the receptacle, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a hand bag having pivoted frame members, of springs tending to separate the frame members and open the bag, spring-pressed locks in the bag at the respective ends of the bag normally holding the frame members together, a tubular handle pivotally connectedat its ends to one of the frame members, said frame member having openings therein communicating with the tubular handle, flexible connecting devices connected to the springpressed locks and extending into the handle, and a pair of pins projecting from the handle and secured to said flexible connecting devices, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a hand bag having pivotally connected frame members,of spring-pressed locks in the bag normally holding the frame members together, a tubular handle having its ends pivotally connected to one of the frame members, said handle comprising'metal tubes at its ends and at its intermediate portion, metal coils connecting said tubes, a covering around said tubes and coils, said tube at the intermediate portion of the handle having a slot therein, operating pins projecting through and movable in the slot, and flexible devices connecting the pins with said spring-pressed locks, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a hand bag having frame members pivotally connected and movable to open and close the bag, one of said frame members having spring-pressed,

locking bars thereon operatively engaging the other frame member normally holding the frame members together, springs tending to separate the frame members, a tubular handle having .swiveled connection at its ends with one of the frame members, and operating devices carried by the handle and controlling the operation of the springpressed locking bars, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK J. HOHENSTATT.

Witnesses:

' C. E..PoTTs,

MARIE J AOKSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

